Highway road flare



Aug, 17, i937. J. R. HAINES 2,090,293

HIGHWAY ROAD FLARE Filed Aug. 24, 1955 Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HIGHWAY ROAD FLARE John Ralph Haines, Medford, N. J.

Application August 24, 1935, Serial No. 37,772

2 Claims. (Cl. 177-329) This invention relates to an improved high# way road ilare, which can be mounted on the running board of a motor vehicle, and more especially on the roadway, indicating in both directions to various motor traversing vehicles that another motor vehicle is parked on the side of the road, and the main purpose of the invention is to provide a flare of this kind including a supported housing head enclosing a bulb, the

head having opposite lenses, constructed and ar1 ranged whereby when the axis of the head is positioned to assume a substantial angle transversal of the roadway a substantial wide spread brilliancy may extend in both directions longitudinally of the roadway.

Another purpose of the lnventionvinsofar as structure is concerned is to provide a ashing nare consisting of a casing with a dry cell battery therein insulated from the casing, the casing including mounted thereon a housing enclosing suitable electrical illumination, such as a bulb having an electric ashing means associated therewith, and electrically associated with the battery, in combination with a base provided with switch means therein and in circuit with the electrical source of the battery for making and breaking said electrical energy.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in no way limitative, and that 30 while still keeping within the scope of the invention, any desired modification of details and proportions may be made in the construction of the appliance according to circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and 35 combination of parts to be hereinafter set forth,

shown in the drawing and claimed.

In the drawlng:-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the highway road flare constructed in'accord- 40 ance with the invention.

45 Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View of a highway with a highway road are positioned therein, showing the position of the lens housing.

50 Fig. 4ashows a highway and a ilare with a globular transparent housing head.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of a. modied form of lens housing where the same is globular in form.

55 Referring to the drawing I identities a hollow base, the ila-red lower periphery 2 adapted to engage the surface of the roadway or the running board on the side of the motor vehicle for the purpose of supporting the highway road flare.

'I'his base includes a top wall 3 provided with a countersunk portion 4 and arranged in the countersunk portion is a disc of insulating material 5. At dametrically opposite portions of the disc 5 knurled members 6 are iixed through thedisc, the lower ends of which are provided with depressions 1. Secured on the disc is a conductor strip 8, the securing means, such as screws 9,

`passing through the conductor strip and into the knurled members 5, thereby holding the conductor strip in place. A conductor screw I8 is threaded into the disc further securing the conduotor strip 8 in position, as well as holding the conductor spring II electrically in connection with the strip 8. Arranged in the countersunk portion 4 is a disc I2 provided with protrusions i3, which are designed to engage the depressions 'lin the knurled members 5, that is when the battery circuit is closed. However, the disc 5 has other depressions I4, with which the protrusions I3 engage when the battery circuit is open. A knob I5 is carrried by the disc or plate I2 for rotating the same in order to disengage the protrusions I3 from the knurled members 6 and engage them into the other depressions I4, thereby opening the battery circuit. The disc 5 is capable of sliding vertical movement against the action of the conductor spring II, so that the protrusions I 3 may disengage from the depressions I3 or the depressions I4, and conductor spring H contacts with the bottom of a dry cell battery I5, between which and an upstanding casing I'I a wall of insulation material I8 is interposed.

A conductor expansion spring I9 is fastened at to the upper end of the dry cell battery I6, and in turn to a disc 2| as at ISa, adjacent the lower end of a socket 22. The lower end of the socket 22 has an internal shoulder 23, with which a coil spring 24 engages. The securing screw I9a is threaded into a conductor element 25, the upper end of which has a shoulder 26, with which a disc 21 engages. The conductor element 25 in turn engages with a contact 28 of the plug end 29 of a lamp bulb 30. At a point between the plug end 29 and the lamp bulb 30 a suitable electric flashing mechanism, not herein shown but disclosed in the U. S. Patent No. 1,979,349, may be housed in the casing 3|,

Secured by screws 32 on the upper end of the protrusion is curved to conform to the cylindrical contour of a housing head 33, in which the lamp bulb and the casing 3| are located. The upper end of the socket 22 (which is secured in any well known manner in the housing head 33) has the usual slots 33 engaged by suitable nubs 31 carried by the plug end 23 of the lamp bulb, for holding the lamp bulb in place and putting the conductor spring 24 under tension.

The opposite. faces of the housing head are provided with opposite lenses 33, which are held against the lugs 39 struck from the marginal edges of the housing head, by means of the anged rings 43. The housing head is secured by l5 screws and nuts 4I to the projection 34. Suitable screws 42 secure the lower end of the casing I1 toV the base.

When the switch is operated in a position where the protrusions I3 engage into the depres- 20 sions of the knurled members current will ilow 25 22, through the lamp bulb and back to the battery causing illumination of the interior of the head. l

Referring to Figure 5 the stand has a cover 44 which is flanged at 45 and secured by screws 43.

30 Secured by rivets, screws or`electrically welded at 44a to the cover is a flanged disc 41, the ange 43 of which overlies a flanged margin 43 of a globular lens 50, any point around the surface oi' the globular lens 33 at diametrical opposite points may act as lenses. A split spring ring 5| engages the ilange 43 and expands against the marginal flange 43 of the il'anged disc 41, thereby retaining the lens housing in position within the flange 43.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

1. A portable, emergency highway are comprising: a housing structure/including a hollow base, a hollow column supported thereon and secured thereto, and a cover plate i'or thev column provided with an apertured seat for supporting a lamp structure thereon; a lamp structure supported by said cover plate, including an incandescent lamp mechanism, and a lens housing for the lamp mechanism, said lens housing being designed to cause a directional beam of light when said lamp mechanism is energized; a battery source of E. M. F. located within the column, and optionally closable circuit completing means for energizing a circuit including the lamp mechanism and-the source of E. M. F.

2. In combination with the structure of claim 1, in which'the circuit completing means includes a switch structure mounted within the hollow base, and in which resilient means are provided for positioning and supporting the battery source of E. M. F. between the lamp structure and the switch; said lens design and the portable nature of the unit being utilized for effecting a positionable, non-glare, signal light.

JOI-IN' RALPH HAINES. 

